Arsenal Women 5 – 0 Bristol City Women

Beth Mead and Alessia Russo scored two objectives every as Arsenal thumped WSL backside membership Bristol Metropolis 5-0 to spice up their Girls’s Champions League qualification hopes and preserve tempo with the title race.

Even with supervisor Jonas Eidevall watching from the sidelines resulting from a touchline ban, the Gunners seemed as fluent as they’ve seemed all season as they raced three objectives clear due to Mead’s double and an Emma Powell personal aim – all three objectives concerned spectacular winger Caitlin Foord.

After the break, Russo added two extra objectives as Arsenal saved capturing. They ended the night with 32 efforts on the Bristol Metropolis aim.

The consequence strikes Arsenal 9 factors away from fourth-placed Manchester United as Girls’s Champions League soccer seems even nearer. They sit six factors behind WSL leaders Man Metropolis, and three behind Chelsea, who’ve a sport in hand.

Bristol Metropolis, in the meantime, are seven factors adrift on the backside of the desk with 4 video games remaining – and the highest two nonetheless to play between now and Could 18.

WATCH: All of the objectives!

How Arsenal thumped sorry Bristol Metropolis

For Bristol Metropolis, the duty was to get by means of Arsenal’s first alternative of the sport and go from there. That got here after seven minutes and so they couldn’t.

Foord pressed Powell into an error deep within the Metropolis half and that allowed Foord house within the space. The Australian’s shot bounced off the put up, leaving Mead with the easy activity of tapping dwelling.

It might have been two moments later as Arsenal labored a brief nook to Victoria Pelova, whose shot struck the crossbar. Stina Blackstenius and Russo had been then denied by Metropolis goalkeeper Fran Bentley, whereas Arsenal’s Swedish striker did not faucet dwelling Mead’s crossfield shot from a couple of yards out.

Finally, the floodgates started to open. Extra wonderful play from Foord noticed her reduce the ball again to Mead, who took two makes an attempt however ultimately fired previous Bentley on the close to put up.

Two minutes later, it was three as Foord fed the underlapping Catley down the left and her cross took a heavy deflection off Powell, over Bentley and into the highest nook.

Bristol Metropolis had been solely allowed one contact within the Arsenal through the opening interval – made by Lisa Evans whose cross couldn’t be transformed by Ffion Morgan within the center. Arsenal, in the meantime, set a brand new WSL document this season of 44 – that was how dominant the Gunners had been.

Arsenal’s dominance continued with the shot tally racking up – however Bristol Metropolis had the very best of the early second-half possibilities as Jamie-Lee Napier opened up the Gunners defence with a surprising move for Emily Syme. Catley obtained again to get better and Arsenal goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo needed to be equal to Amalie Thestrup on the rebound.

However again got here Arsenal who scored a fourth on the hour mark. Kim Little discovered Russo in a pocket of house round 30 yards out and the Lionesses ahead’s beautiful drive was too scorching for Bentley to deal with.

Arsenal took off Foord and Mead however the strain didn’t ease on the guests. Bentley produced a surprising fingertip save to disclaim Emily Fox’s long-range drive, however she might do nothing about Arsenal’s fifth as substitute Katie McCabe teed up Russo, who swept dwelling from the sting of the field.

Russo practically had a hat-trick however she poked McCabe’s cross simply large of the far put up. And with Laura Wienroither returning after practically a yr out with an ACL harm, plus 17-year-old Katie Reid making her Gunners debut from the bench, it was an ideal evening for the Gunners.

What the managers mentioned…

Arsenal supervisor Jonas Eidevall to Sky Sports activities:

“It was a really dominant show. I believed we had been excellent on the ball, managed the ball all through. We had been compact as a crew and we allowed only a few possibilities to Bristol. We confirmed selection towards a hard-working Bristol. It is good to attain a few objectives, Laura Wienroither approaching and Katie Reid making her debut.

“Conserving the construction, transferring the ball very properly. We had a whole lot of passes and it isn’t straightforward towards a low block. We won’t power issues and we needed to look ahead to the correct second and we did that actually properly. We had a very good begin getting an early aim which helps.

“We now have been saying now we have not been efficient sufficient with our ending. Immediately it was a good reflection of the sport, scoring 5 objectives. It was additionally good to maintain a clear sheet. With the Conti Cup and the current weeks within the WSL, we’re conserving a whole lot of clear sheets. It definitely helps to win soccer matches.”

Bristol Metropolis supervisor Lauren Smith talking to Sky Sports activities:

“We did not get our foothold within the sport which is one thing we have been chasing for a very long time. However I’ve to credit score Arsenal for the entire sport. It was onerous to defend, onerous to get close to. They’re an skilled facet and we weren’t adequate.

“We knew it will be tough to get one, not to mention three or 4 so the second half was injury limitation.

“The primary aim the place we gave the ball away, the intention was proper however not the execution. The gamers can be gutted by that, nevertheless it wasn’t one thing we had been doing within the first half of the season. An excessive amount of within the second half. We need to be a crew that is onerous to beat.

“When Rachel Furniss has stepped on, you possibly can see the angle and we have missed that. Sadly it was a no-pressure surroundings for her however she’s obtained that beneath her belt.”

What’s subsequent?

Arsenal host Leicester Metropolis subsequent weekend within the WSL, with kick-off on the Emirates Stadium at 2pm.

Bristol Metropolis are at dwelling to Liverpool a day earlier on Saturday, kick-off at 12.30pm.